Continually, God amazes me with how He uses everyday life to get my attention. Lately, my attention has been riveted to an almost 3 year old who now lives in my house. (His birthday month is “Tember” as he told me last night.)
Eric takes pleasure in almost everything. I have learned he is also soaking up everything around him. Casual phrases have to be watched. Dangerous items have to be moved. He will open every bottle he can find. (Yesterday morning it was a bottle of purple folk art paint left on the coffee table. Fortunately, there was only paint on Eric.)
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” Light is a lot like Eric. It penetrates every part it reaches. My heart already has expanded with love for this little guy. I am still working on adjusting the demands of my day for him. I seem to get NOTHING accomplished! I have to be very quiet when I awake in the a.m. or Eric is also up with the chickens.
Our television watching habits have changed. We watch very little, having no converter box nor satellite. We mostly watch crime shows and movies. (Hulu.com and Netflix are great tools.) I can almost quote Monsters, Inc. I have also learned how absorbed a child gets with a television on. Without the television on, he will play and play and play. Put in a movie and he becomes a zombie.
I am reminded of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)
Conversations are changed. Adult discussions occur when Eric is asleep or in the bedroom with his mommy, my precious niece Noelle
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And so I began thinking, why are the changes necessary? Does this mean I can’t watch television anymore unless it is appropriate for children? (Much of what is “appropriate for children” is still garbage!) My standard should be Philippians 4:8. If what I watch, read, listen to, say, is not right, I should not watch, read, listen to, or say it.
What has become interesting about this entire process of studying God’s Word and applying the lessons to my life is that I do not miss what I formerly thought I could not miss! Oscar and I still enjoy some crime shows. We still enjoy going to movies on a Saturday morning (when tickets are much cheaper). We still enjoy reading and listening to books. However, we both have found we avoid filling our minds and ears and eyes with garbage.
As for my niece Noelle? She is a wonderful, Christian mother. She shows concern about what her son watches and to what he listens. She admonishes adults about conversations (in a gentle, loving way). She teaches Eric to behave and teaches manners. She is in church and he happily goes to “Train School” each Sunday.
My life may have been turned upside down this summer with Eric’s arrival (and his mommy’s). God is using this little boy to show his Aunt "Dabbie" how He wants His light to penetrate every corner of my life.
Therefore, my sisters, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Deb
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